Why We Intentionally Limit Food-Based Catering
(And How That Creates Better Events)
A Question We’re Asked Often
One of the most common questions we hear from clients is a thoughtful one:
“Why does Parish Events limit the number of food-based catering events you take on?”
It’s a fair question, especially in an industry where success is often measured by volume. For us, the answer comes down to intention, quality, and respect for the craft of hospitality.
At Parish Events, food is not a product we scale indiscriminately. It’s a creative, logistical, and deeply hands-on process. Protecting that process is how we protect your experience.
Food-Based Events Begin Long Before Event Day
A food-based event doesn’t start when guests arrive. It begins weeks, sometimes months, earlier.
Our process includes:
Collaborative menu development tailored to your event, guests, and season
Thoughtful sourcing of ingredients at their peak
Testing, refining, and pacing menus so the experience flows naturally
Building prep schedules that allow food to be made with care, not urgency
Staffing intentionally so every role is supported
Coordinating logistics, rentals, and service flow so the day feels effortless
Each step requires time, focus, and creative energy. Protecting that process means being intentional about how much we take on at once.
Why Intentional Capacity Leads to Better Events
Could we take on more food-based events at the same time? Technically, yes.
Would the experience feel the same? No.
By intentionally managing our capacity, we’re able to:
Maintain consistency and quality across every dish
Prepare food at its peak, never rushed or compromised
Show up calm, focused, and fully present on event day
Support our team with realistic workloads and fair expectations
Treat each event with the attention it deserves
This isn’t about scarcity. It’s about sustainability.
As Parish Events grows and our team expands, our capacity will grow too. What won’t change is our commitment to thoughtful execution and quality over volume.
What This Means for You as a Client
For our clients, this approach translates to confidence and ease.
It means:
Your menu isn’t competing for attention with several others
Your event isn’t rushed through production
Your questions are answered thoughtfully, not reactively
Your food is prepared with intention, not pressure
When you book a food-based catering event with Parish Events, you’re not booking a date on a calendar. You’re booking focused creative and operational attention designed to make your event feel seamless.
Our Bar Services Are Structured Differently
While food-based catering requires intensive kitchen labor and highly time-sensitive preparation, our bar services operate on a different production timeline. Not less work, just a different rhythm.
Craft cocktail programs often involve days of preparation, from house-made syrups and infusions to tinctures and batching. Many of these elements can be prepared thoughtfully in advance, allowing the work to be distributed more flexibly throughout the week.
In addition, our bar program is supported by a dedicated bar team, separate from our kitchen staff. This allows cocktail-focused events to be scheduled independently of food production, without competing for resources or attention.
What this means for our clients:
Cocktail parties and brand events may be bookable even when our food calendar is full
You still receive the same level of craftsmanship, premium ingredients, and polished execution
Food and beverage are two expressions of the same philosophy: thoughtful preparation, beautiful execution, and hospitality done with care. Our bar services allow us to bring that philosophy to more celebrations, more often.
A Different Measure of Success
In an industry that often rewards “how many,” we’ve chosen to focus on “how well.”
Our success isn’t measured by the number of events we produce in a week. It’s measured by how our clients feel when the night is over: relaxed, cared for, and confident they made the right choice.
If you’re looking for a catering partner who values intention, sustainability, and craftsmanship, we’d love to talk.
Ready to discuss your next event?